Mother Hoods: Strolling Around S.F. With Colugo & Mimi Chan
Written by Katie Hintz-Zambrano
Photography by
Photographed by Emily Scott
For many folks, San Francisco can be a tricky city to navigate. Which is why having a Mother Hoods tour guide can be a big help—especially if you have kids in tow. This time around, we’ve tapped tech entrepreneur Mimi Chan, the founder of Littlefund and mother to Liv, 4, and Ivy, 4 months, to show us her top family-friendly spots and solo-time locales around her Nob Hill neighborhood.
While Mimi pointed out her favorite haunts, she also took a slew of new Colugo products for a stroll (quite literally). From what we might dare call the coolest stroller we’ve ever seen (tie-dye anyone?), to an eye-catching leopard-print carrier for her newest arrival, and a matching stroller-bag-slash-fanny-pack, you’re sure to fall for these Colugo wares designed specifically for modern, on-the-go mamas like Mimi.
This post is brought to you by Mother + Colugo.
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Before we have Mimi take us on an S.F. stroll, let's first get familiar with the Colugo goods she's sporting!
Compact Stroller, $285, Colugo.
On-The-Go Organizer, $45, Colugo.
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Colugo's lightweight, compact stroller comes in seven color options, including this absolutely stunning limited-edition Blue Skies pattern.
Compact Stroller, $285, Colugo.
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Features of the stroller include a lightweight frame, one-hand, two-second fold, machine-washable layers, roomy under basket, and a seat that flips up (as shown) or down, depending on your child's comfort.
Compact Stroller, $285, Colugo.
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"I love this leopard-print stroller bag—a.k.a. the On-The-Go Organizer—that doubles as my fanny pack. It seems my new cool mom gear happens to be on trend with the non-moms, too, which is even better. I’m all about the two-fers as a parenting hack."
Compact Stroller, $285, Colugo.
On-The-Go Organizer, $45, Colugo.
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The waterproof and machine-washable organizer can also be attached to the stroller, and includes 2 cup holders and 3 zippered pockets.
Compact Stroller, $285, Colugo.
On-The-Go Organizer, $45, Colugo.
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"Nob Hill, sort of. We’re at the corner edge between Russian Hill and Pacific Heights."
Compact Stroller, $285, Colugo.
On-The-Go Organizer, $45, Colugo.
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"Lafayette Park is one of the most beautiful parks in S.F. with an awesome playground for the kiddos. I have to be ready for a full-body work out to get to this park, however, since it's up the hill from my house. Liv calls it 'the park on the hill.'"
"On a beautiful day, Aquatic Park Beach is a straight shot down from where we live. And it's never too crowded. Liv enjoys the sand while I enjoy watching her love every second of it."Pictured at Lafayette Park.
Compact Stroller, $285, Colugo.
Baby Carrier, $125, Colugo.
On-The-Go Organizer, $45, Colugo.
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"Saint Frank Coffee is my favorite cafe. Before I had an office, this was where you could find me. It serves great coffee and has a great design. If you go, order the honey lavender latte!"
"While Stonemill Matcha isn't in the hood, I’m obsessed with everything there. The salmon rice bowl is my favorite thing on the menu. Oh wait, the congee is. Or wait, the katsu sandwiches are."
Pictured at Saint Frank Coffee.
Compact Stroller, $285, Colugo.
Baby Carrier, $125, Colugo.
On-The-Go Organizer, $45, Colugo.
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"Amelie Wine Bar is great for when I feel like adulting outside of the house."
"House of Prime Rib is great, but here’s my hack: We refuse to do the 2-hour daily wait, so we go there in person to order take-out (which is required) and then bring it home to enjoy without the fuss. It’s a go-to plan when friends come over and we want to impress them with a feast."
Compact Stroller, $285, Colugo.
Baby Carrier, $125, Colugo.
On-The-Go Organizer, $45, Colugo.
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"Loving Cup is great to pop over to after getting coffee at Saint Frank. We get the rice pudding (for me) or frozen yogurt (for Liv). It’s the perfect guilty pleasure afternoon date with your little one."
"1760 is perfect for a neighborhood date night in S.F. when I can put away the sneakers and pull out the heels."
Pictured at Loving Cup.
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"Che Fico is the spot for dinner at the bar with your best girlfriend or for a parents' night out. Good vibes, good food, and good people watching! Something I miss after living in NYC."
"For shopping, Relove is a cool consignment and vintage shop in the neighborhood with a '90s vibe. It reminds me of my early days in NYC when I used to hunt for vintage treasures like it was a sport. My first score was a silk YSL leopard-print dress!"
Compact Stroller, $285, Colugo.
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"Museum visits are always on rotation for our family, whether we’re home in S.F. or traveling in another city. The Bay Area Discovery Museum has a lot of different activities and events year-round."
"And I have to mention Trader Joe's, because I’m there so often. TJ speaks to me, the mom that always wants a deal but is too busy to ever clip coupons."
"I also love getting super cheap foot and back massages on Polk Street."
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"I’ve gotten so many compliments on this leopard-print baby carrier because the graphics are so fun. I have a couple of other carriers but I really like Colugo when I travel because it’s very easy to get on and off. I’m not sweating over extra long fabric or twisted straps."
Baby Carrier, $125, Colugo.
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"The best part is the weather and accessibility to the Bay Area’s activities, museums, and outdoor adventures. It’s an easy and quick ride to a weekend getaway! As for living elsewhere, I say, 'why not?' I grew up in Houston, then lived in New York for 10 years after college, and have now been in San Francisco for 5 years. For me, a home is something you make, so I literally feel we could live anywhere. That includes internationally. This free-as-a-bird spirit comes from my love for travel and because of that, I’ve always dreamt of living abroad as a family. Given mine and my husband’s entrepreneurial careers, the 'anywhere' isn’t too far fetched of an idea! For now though, it makes sense for us to be here in San Francisco, since it is tech hub of the world."
Baby Carrier, $125, Colugo.
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"On weekends we’ll cross bridges to get out of the city or head south towards San Jose for amazing Vietnamese food! Recently, Inverness has been a favorite. My girlfriend hosts us for a sweet and easy weekend getaway. I’m always down to get away from the hustle and bustle of S.F. My out-of-town friends are the type that come with their own list, so I find myself keeping up with them! Outside of vintage or consignment shops like Relove or Cris, I’ll look up the latest hot restaurant (we like to eat!) and do an outdoor adventure like Lands End, Sutro Baths, or Muir Woods."
Compact Stroller, $285, Colugo.
Baby Carrier, $125, Colugo.
On-The-Go Organizer, $45, Colugo.
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"It’s hard to escape the tech scene here. Most likely every conversation with someone new or old is about your startup, tech gossip, or tech news. Unlike what Instagram shows, my days are consumed with paranoia and long work days that leave me with little sleep. On top of that, it’s a very interesting position to be in as a mother running a tech startup. There’s absolutely no free time. Whatever time not spent building or scaling or obsessing over my company, Littlefund, is time for me to be mama. I’m surrounded by a majority of males and many of them young and single. So, I have to work 100 times harder at everything and learn to execute with better precision, because time is never a luxury in tech startups. Funny story: when I was in the 500 Fintech accelerator, my fellow batch mates would ask me to hang for happy hour or wonder where I was rushing to after work. Each time I’d have to remind them, 'Gotta ______ the kids.' There was one time I carried a car seat to the office and it was as if I brought a pet snake to class for show and tell. They all gathered around asking lots of questions."
Compact Stroller, $285, Colugo.
Baby Carrier, $125, Colugo.
On-The-Go Organizer, $45, Colugo.
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"When I had my first daughter, Liv, I discovered that many of her gifts were going into the unused or donate pile. I was conflicted with frustration as I spent time sorting, cleaning, and giving away most gifts, knowing the gifters had spent time and money on these presents. I spoke with other parents and found that they also struggled with the same gifting paradox, but didn’t have a solution because saying 'no gifts' didn’t work. Gifters wanted to give. That’s when I realized that gifters lacked an alternative to spending on material gifts that was even easier and more meaningful for families with children. Meanwhile, a massive cultural movement in thoughtful consumerism and financial wellness made it socially acceptable to gift cash on Venmo, Zola, and Honeyfund. Soon after, my idea for Littlefund was born. It's an online platform that gives gifters the option to gift money towards savings, education, and experiences."
Compact Stroller, $285, Colugo.
On-The-Go Organizer, $45, Colugo.
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"My husband and I are both early-stage tech founders, so the addition of Ivy actually felt like our family grew from 3 to 4 babies! It’s hard to quantify 'more hectic' when our baseline already is hectic. I worked up until I was wheeled into the operating room, had Ivy, and then was on it again as soon as I was wheeled back into my hospital room. I was working extra hard after birth because I needed to prepare for fundraising. Fundraising is an intense, emotional, and stressful time. It’s hard to be focused on other things. I think that may be a big reason as to why being a mother of two hasn’t sunk in super deep for me yet."
Compact Stroller, $285, Colugo.
On-The-Go Organizer, $45, Colugo.
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"First, figure out what are your non-negotiables and stick to them. Also, make sure your partner leans in just as hard as you’re leaning out. And if you don’t have a partner, find one to help you. Your parenting partner doesn’t have to be a romantic partner. Charlize Theron calls her mother her children’s co-parent. And read The Baby Whisper Solves All Your Problems by Tracy Hogg and do it like your business depends on it."
For more on Mimi, be sure to check out Littlefund and follow her on Instagram.
For more on the products featured in this article, be sure to check out Colugo.
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